Baffle construction in boiler-furnaces



A. C. EDGAR.

RAFFLE CONSTRUCTION IN BOILER FURNACES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15, 1911.

Patented M31. 29, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 04/ 4 am FIG. 2.

INVENTOR, fld/"ew GEcLqan If); /7 AM a ATTORNEY.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I A c. EDGAR. BAFYFL E CONSTRUCTION IN BOILER FURNACES. APPLICATIONFILED DEC. 15, 19W. 1,373,226. Patented Mar. 29,1921.

2 E m l i llll I /lll/// I A. C. EDGAR.

BAFFLE CONSTRUCTION IN BOILER FURNACES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. l5. 19H.

1,378,226. Patented Mar-29,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- @Fl i ANDREW C. EDGAR, OF NEVVTOWN SQUARE,PENNSYLVANIA.

BAFFLE CONSTRUOTIQN IN BOILER-FURNACES.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW C. EDGAR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newtown Square, in the county of Delaware and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBaffle Construction in Boiler-Furnaces, of which the following is aspecification. 1

The object of this invention is to provide an improvement in boilerfurnaces, the same relating particularly to the provision of an improvedbaflle, regardless of the type of boiler in which the same may be used.

@ne of the principal objects of the invention, is, furthermore, toprovide a baflie for boiler furnaces, comprising independentlypositioned members or sections of infusible material, which are adapted,in addition to other advantages characteristic thereof, to replace thebaffles commonly used in the art.

Heretofore, in general, it has been the practice to employ a bafiie,comprising in one instance a hollow fluid-containing section, comprisinga unitary part of the fur nace of which it forms a part, or of one ofthe major divisions thereof, and in another instance a type of battlewhich has been extensively used is formed of infusible material, such asfire-brick, but built up and supported in such a manner as to comprise asubstantially permanent element of the boiler of which it forms a part,that is, being builtin with the use of a suitable cementbond, after thesetting of which bend it is impossible to remove any portion of saidbattle without destroying the body thereof in entirety.

In the first instance, because of the low boiling point of water, thetemperature of fluid-containing baffle cannot be raised to a point evenapproaching ineandescence, which condition is necessary in order to aidin the complete combustion of the gases arising from the fire-bed, whilein the latter case a built-in baflie after a time must be eithercompletely replaced, or it will commence to disintegrate andfinally, ifpermitted to go long enough, drop entirely upon the firebed,necessitating a complete shut-down of the particular furnace.

In employmg the present construction in Specification of Letters Patent.Pgptenfigd filia 29 192.1

7 Application filed. December 15, 1917.

Serial No. 207,237.

any of its various possible modifications to various boilerconstructions, the entire bafile or any of the sections of which it ispreferred that it shall comprise, may be removed and replaced n1perfectly operative position at any time that such may be desired, andeven while the particular boiler is in full op- GIZLtIOH Wlth fire uponthe grate and steam up. And should it be desired to replace but oneofthe sections of the said wall, this mav be accompl shed withoutaffecting the others, unless the section to be replaced shall beintermedlate of the ends, in which case, one of the end sections may betemporarily removed for the purpose of reaching and'operating upon thesection first referred to.

And a still further object of the invention comprises the adaptation ofthis invention to boilers composed of transverse as Well as longitudinalsections. With these and other objects in view, the inventlon comprisesnumerous details of construction and operation hereinafter described inthe specification, when read with relation to the accompanying drawingsin which Figure 1 is a longitudinal (front to rear) vertical sectionupon the line 2-2 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section onthe line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of an end feed type ofboiler composed of transversely extending sections; Fig. 4 1s a verticallongitudinal (front to rear) section of the boiler shown in Fig. 3; Fig.5 is a vertical transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 6is a vertical longitudinal detail view of two adjacent sections of apush nipple type of boiler showing the improved baffle operativelypositioned in conjunction therewith.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a side feed type of boileris shown as comprising a base portion 1 containing the ash-pit,immediately above which is a suitable form of grate 2, upon which isadapted to be placed fuel 3 to create a fire-bed. The particular boilerillustrated comprises eX- terior and intermediate hollow longitudinallyextending sections 4: and 5, respectively, the same communicating withone another to permit the water within the sections to freely circulatetherethrough, each of said intermediate sections being provided withcentrally positioned, downwardly extending hollow legs 6, provided attheir lowermost portions with laterally, oppositely extending ledges 7upon the level, and in alinement with which are similarly positionedledges 8, carried by the exterior boiler sections a, all for a purposehereinafter described.

At the rear of the boiler an air passage 10 extends from below the grate2 to a suitable position above the top of the fire-bed, and is for thepurpose of conducting heated air vhich first enters the ash-pit throughthe front or side ash-pit doors 11 and 12 upwardly into the combustionchamber without the necessity of this flow of air first passing throughthe said fire-bed. The air supply for the combustion of the fuel uponthe grate also enters the ash-pit by way of the said doors 11 and 12,and readily passes upwardly through the grate and fire-bed as shown bysome of the arrows.

The upper portion of the boiler comprises a multiplicity of lines eachlike those shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Each flue leads off from thecombustion chamber 15 at the rear of the fire-box, passes upwardly andforwardly between horizontally extending portions 16 and 17, and forms aflue section 18 which at its forward end is deflected upwardly aroundthe abbreviated partition 17, whence it passes rearwardly above saidlastnamed partition and beneath the hollow water-containing section 19to form a flue section 20. it the rear of the boiler this last-namedflue section terminates in a downwardly extending chamber 21 along thebaclr wall of the boiler proper, from the lowermost portion of whichchamber projects a hollow extension 22, closed by an adjustablypositioned check-door 23 above which is the outlet 24 for connectionwith the stack (not shown).

The hollow watercontaining sections of the furnace communicate as shownin Fig. 1 at several points 26, adjacent to the front wall thereof,through nipples 27 at the top and through a transversely extendingcompartment 28 adjacent to the lower rear portion of said boiler, intothis last-named compartment extending the intake connection 29, while.from the uppermost portion of one or more of the respective boilersections extend the other connections 30.

The oppositely disposed ledges 7 and 8, hereinafter described, terminateat a short distance from the rearmost portion of the fire-box of theboiler in enlarged stops 38, while the forwardmost portions of saidledges abruptly terminate at a suitable distance inside of the door 34,which opens into the forward part of the fire-box and through which fuelis admitted thereinto. The numeral 35 designates vertical refractorymembers or baffles preferably made of fire brick. Each vertical baffleis provided with laterally extending ledges 36, above inwardly extendingrecesses 37. These recesses receive the ledges 7 and 8.

After ha 'ing been positioned upon the said ledges 7 and 8, theseinfusible members are moved into operative position at the rear ofsaidiire-box until they are arrested by theledge stops in which positionthey coiiperate at their lowermost enlarged portions to form baffleextending transversely over said fire-box from one side wall to theother and thereby deflecting the gases of combustion of the fueldownwardly against the adjacent portionof the fire-bed, there being thusformed between said baffle and said fire-bed what is known as a lowerpassage, while at its uppermost portion the member is purposelyterminated in slightly spaced relation with theadjacent side of thepartition 16, to provide a restricted passage 36 through which the gasesfrom the fire-box can escape, at such time as when the fires are bankedfor the night and when there is not sufficient draft nor passage roombelow the baffle to draw said gases therebeneath, but which passage way3 a is not of sufficient size to materially lessen the draft of thefurnace when under normal operation, nor to permit sufficient gases fromthe fire-box to pass off as smoke, that is, without all of the volatilematter therein being first consumed, within or adjacent to the saidcombustion chamber.

In the operation of this device, fresh air is admitted into the front ofthe fire-box through the usual apertures of the fuel door 3 1, whichinflowing air mingles with the gases of combustion above the fire-bed onthe near side of the baffle and drives this combination of gases againstthe forward face or ignition surface of said bafile, thence downwardlythrough the lower passage beneath said baffle and in contact with theadjacent portion of the fire-bed, immediately after which these hotpartially consumed gases are mixed with an additional supply of oxygenfrom the heated air, entering the combustion chamber 15 by means of theflue 10, where the entire mixture is completely burned, thus creatingmore intense heat with a given amount of fuel and draft, than hasordinarily been possible, which heat passes thence through the fluesections 18 and 20, hereinbefore described, and raises the temperatureof the water in the boiler.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4:, there is shown a type of furnacecomprising boiler sections extending transversely thereover, instead oflongitudinally, as heretofore described, and providing a fire-box 4:0and combustion chamber 1, which latter terminates upwardly in aforwardly extending flue section 42, which latter at its forwardmostportion is directed upwardly and thence reversely to the flue section43, having an outlet 44 leading to the usual stack (not shown).

Each of the boiler sections, herein shown, comprises laterallypositioned, vertically extending leg portions 45 connected by hollowfluid-containing sections 4:6, a7 and 4:8 at their uppermost, central,and intermedlate portions, which said boiler sections are connectedtogether at their lowermost portions by laterally positioned headers 49and above their top central portions by a header 50 into which latter isdelivered the heated water contents or steam therefrom.

The application of the present invention to this type of boiler furnacenecessitates the formation of two of the boiler sections adjacent to therear of the furnace, as shown in Fig. 4, with the fluid-containingportions 47, altered in cross-section to provide oppositely positionedlugs 51, which extend transversely from one side of the boiler to theother and are adapted to support the oppositely ex tendin flangeportions 52 of the upper portion 0.. the one or more infusible members53, which are adapted to be placed into said boiler through the specialopenings 54, provided therefor in the opposite sides of the boiler asshown in Fig. 3. When in place, these sections, preferably of fire-brickor the like, comprise a continuous baflie, as shown in Fig. 5, betweenthe lowermost portion of the forward ignition surface of which andadjacent to the fire-bed is provided a lower passage, exactly similar toand for the purpose described in connection therewith as shown by Figs.1 and 2. ()therwise than described, the operation of this boiler isexactly similar to that hereinbefore described, and illustrated by Figs.1 and 2.

Referring now to Fig. 6, two adjacent cooperating sections of a.somewhat different type of boiler are shown, the same being providedwith upper fluid-containing portions 58, connected by nipples 59 andtraversed by heat-conveying flues 60, connected at their ends with thecombustion chamber 61 of the fire-box. The combustion chamber 61 isadjacent to one side of the transversely extending baflie 62, formed ofone or more infusible sections, which latter are of the same generalshape as those last described, being provided with oppositely extendingflange portions 68, beneath which are inwardly extending recesses 64, inwhich are adapted to extend and supportsaid baflie 62 the inwardlydirected flanges 65 of suitable depending brackets 66, which latter areintegral projections of the fluid-containing portions 58. As in the caseof the boiler illustr ted by Figs. 3, t and 5, an aperture 67 isprovided in each of the opposite sides of this type of furnace, throughwhich can be inserted baffle members to form a continuous transverselyextending baflle, regardless of whether the furnace .is in fulloperation or not, and from whichfurnace under the same conditions one orany desired number of said baflle sections may be removed at will.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protebyLetters Pat ent of the United States is 2- I 1'. A furnace comprisinga plurality of assembled sections having communicating water spaces,said sections having laterally extending portions which form flue walls,a grate arranged in the lower portion of the furnace for providing anash pit and a chamber above the same, a plurality of sub stantiallyvertical refractory members arranged in the upper chamber and disposednear the rear end wall thereof and spaced therefrom for providingforward and rear chambers, said members forming a baflie having itslower end slightly spaced from the normal fire bed upon the grate toform a contracted lower passage which connects the forward and rearchambers, and a preheating air passage having its lower end leading fromthe ash pit and its upper end into the rear chamber behind the baffle,said rear chamber discharging into the fines.

2. A. furnace comprising a plurality of assembled outer and intermediatesections having water spaces in communication with each other, saidsections having laterally extending portions which form fine walls,spaced depending legs carried by the inner sections and arranged nearthe laterally extending portions, substantially horizontal led es formedupon the outer sections and upon said legs, a grate arranged in thelower portion of the furnace and forming an ash pit and a chamber abovethe same, a plurality of substantially vertical refractory membersarranged within the chamber and having grooves fori'ned therein forreceiving said ledges, said members forming a bafile having its lowerend slightly spaced from the normal fire bed upon the grate to form acontracted lower passage which connects the forward and rear chambers,said members having upper reduced portions extending into the spacesformed by the walls of the flues and spaced therefrom a shorter distance than the distance between the lower end of said members and thefire bed, and preheating air passage leading from the ash pit to therear combustion chamber.

8. A furnace comprising a shell having water space or spaces, a gratearranged in the lower portion of the shell and dividing the same into anash pit and a chamber above the same, substantially horizontal ledgesarranged within the chamber, a substantially vertical baflle havinggrooves to receive the ledges and dividing the chamber into forward andrear combustion chambers with a lower passage at the lower end of thebaffle to connect the chambers, said bafi'ie being slidable upon theledges to vary the relative sizes of the forward and rear combustionchambers, means to supply air into the rear combustion chamber, andmeans to form lines in the upper portion of the shell, said fluescommunicating with the rear combustion chamber.

4. A furnace comprising a shell having water spaces, a grate in thelower portion of the shell for dividing it into an ash pit and a chamberabove the same, substantially horizontal ledges arranged in the chamberand secured to the shell, substantially vertical refractory membershaving grooves to receive the ledges and being slidable thereon andforming a baflle which divides the chamber into a plurality of chambershaving communication about the lower end of the baflle.

5. In a furnace, a shell having water space or spaces, a-grate in theshell dividing it into an ash pit and chamber above the same, sets ofspaced horizontal ledges arranged within the chamber, verticalrefractory members having grooves to slidably receive the ledges andcoacting to form a baflle, said bal'lle serving to divide the chamberinto forward and rear combustion chambers, said bafiie providing a lowerpassage at the lower end thereof which serves to connect the forward andrear combustion chambers.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ANDREW C. EDGAR.

Witnesses:

J. STUART FREEMAN, M. J. CRANMER.

